3 places in Flevoland are covered by this guide, together home to about 370,330 inhabitants at municipal level. Their residents are treated at 1 of the twenty DATO-certified centres in the Netherlands. Most places in this province fall under Het Flevoziekenhuis in Almere. With a valid indication and a GP referral, weight loss surgery is covered by Dutch basic insurance; you pay only the €385 deductible in 2026.
- 3 places are included in this guide
- Population at municipal level: roughly 370,330
- Treating DATO centres for these places: 1
- Largest serving centre by volume: Het Flevoziekenhuis
- Up to approximately 58,000 adults with obesity (indicative)
Which DATO centres serve Flevoland?
Het Flevoziekenhuis
Het Flevoziekenhuis is located in Almere and performed 303 primary procedures in 2024, number 16 of the twenty Dutch centres by volume. In this guide it is the centre for 3 places in Flevoland: Almere, Lelystad, Emmeloord. Whether this centre is covered in full depends on your insurer's contracts; check before your referral.
| Centre | Location | Primary procedures 2024 | Places from Flevoland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Het Flevoziekenhuis | Almere | 303 | 3 |
Places in Flevoland and their centre
For every place from Flevoland in this guide, the table shows inhabitants counted at municipal level and which centre locals are generally referred to. Each one also has its own extensive page, written in Dutch.
| Place (Dutch page) | Inhabitants | Centre |
|---|---|---|
| Almere | 232,619 | Het Flevoziekenhuis |
| Lelystad | 85,781 | Het Flevoziekenhuis |
| Emmeloord | 51,930 | Het Flevoziekenhuis |
Flevoland place by place
Almere has about 232,619 inhabitants at municipal level. Residents are usually referred to Het Flevoziekenhuis in Almere; applying the national obesity rate gives an indicative upper limit of about 36,300 people with obesity. The Dutch page for Almere has local details, and there are Dutch pages for the gastric sleeve, gastric bypass and mini bypass from Almere as well.
Lelystad has about 85,781 inhabitants at municipal level. Residents are usually referred to Het Flevoziekenhuis in Almere; applying the national obesity rate gives an indicative upper limit of about 13,400 people with obesity. The Dutch page for Lelystad has local details, and there are Dutch pages for the gastric sleeve, gastric bypass and mini bypass from Lelystad as well.
Emmeloord has about 51,930 inhabitants at municipal level. Residents are usually referred to Het Flevoziekenhuis in Almere; applying the national obesity rate gives an indicative upper limit of about 8,100 people with obesity. The Dutch page for Emmeloord has local details, and there are Dutch pages for the gastric sleeve, gastric bypass and mini bypass from Emmeloord as well.
Neighbouring provinces
If a centre in a neighbouring province is closer to your home or better suits your insurance, you can also look there. Flevoland borders Friesland, Overijssel, Gelderland, Utrecht, North Holland. Each province page lists its centres and their 2024 volumes.
Aftercare from Flevoland
After surgery you return for check-ups for at least five years: at Vitalys, for example, at 6, 12 and 18 months and then yearly up to five years, each with blood tests. Many centres combine visits with online contact. When choosing a centre from Flevoland, ask which check-ups can be done remotely and how the centre can be reached outside office hours. Lifelong WLS vitamins and yearly blood tests continue after the aftercare period, usually via your GP.
How many people in Flevoland have obesity?
In 2024, obesity affected 15.6 percent of Dutch adults nationwide, the Health Monitor of RIVM, the GGDs and Statistics Netherlands reports; GGD regions ranged from 11.6 to 19.2 percent. If you apply this to the approximately 370,330 residents of the places listed above, it gives an indicative upper bound of around 58,000 people living with obesity. Why an upper bound? The percentage covers adults only, while the resident numbers include children as well. Figures per region are available on vzinfo.nl.
Only part of this group qualifies for surgery: you need a BMI of 40, or 35 with a weight-related condition such as type 2 diabetes, sleep apnoea or high blood pressure. For others, a lifestyle programme, supervised medication or a gastric balloon may fit better. See the obesity treatment options.
Getting weight loss surgery from Flevoland: step by step
- Find a GP and register in the municipality you live in. You need the GP to get to hospital care, as they act as gatekeeper.
- Check your insurance: is Het Flevoziekenhuis contracted by your insurer, or another centre that suits you better?
- Sign up for an info session, which in many cases takes place online, and find out if it is also given in English.
- An internist, psychologist and dietitian carry out the screening.
- The procedure and the care afterwards: a short admission, followed by no less than five years of follow-up appointments. So consider the travel time between your home in Flevoland and the hospital.
Choosing a centre as a resident of Flevoland
The centre that is most popular in your town is not your only option. Compare a few things: whether there is information in English, your insurer's contracts, waiting times and the travel time for five years of follow-up. This province is served by one main centre, so also have a look at centres in neighbouring provinces. Read about choosing a clinic for obesity and what it costs and what insurance pays.
Useful Dutch terms for residents of Flevoland
Some Dutch terms explained. Huisarts, the GP who decides on access to hospital care. Basispakket, the basic insurance that weight loss surgery is covered by. Verwijzing, a referral letter, which you must have. Huisartsenpost, the GP service for evening and weekend urgent questions. Eigen risico, a mandatory excess of 385 euros (figure for 2026).
More in English
Sources
- DICA, DATO Annual Report 2024: procedures per centre
- Number of residents: CBS data as shown on AlleCijfers.nl and citypopulation.de
- RIVM, GGD and CBS, Gezondheidsmonitor 2024: share of people with obesity
Frequently asked questions
In this guide, places in Flevoland are served by 1 DATO-certified centre: Het Flevoziekenhuis. Most places fall under Het Flevoziekenhuis.
These 3 places are home to some 370,330 people at municipal level. A full page in Dutch is available for each one.
Yes, with a valid indication and a GP referral it is covered by the Dutch basic package. You pay the mandatory deductible of 385 euros in 2026.
Obesity is found in 15.6 percent of Dutch adults. Translated to the places listed in this guide, that suggests an indicative maximum of approximately 58,000 people.
Yes. Your insurer has to cover it, though. Do take travel time into account, as you will have aftercare for a minimum of five years.
In 2024, WeightWorks Clinics, based in Amersfoort, did 1,598 primary procedures, the annual DATO report shows.
What you need is a referral from your GP (huisarts) to a bariatric centre, if possible one contracted by your insurer in this calendar year.
English is spoken by a lot of doctors and nurses in the Netherlands. Group sessions and written materials, though, are frequently in Dutch, so check with the centre beforehand.
Also available in Dutch. Author: Gijs Bodenstaff. Last reviewed: September 2026.